Adjustable slot cutting tools have traditionally been available for large slot applications of 1.062 inches down to about 0.25 inches. Traditionally, the tools employ a wedge or cam arrangement which force an insert against the walls of a tool body. Axial adjustment is accomplished by retracting the wedge, indexing the insert and then repositioning the cutting edge with respect to an established datum with a set-uP fixture before the wedge is resecured.
Slot cutting tools for widths less than 0.25 inches have traditionally been limited to fixed tip designs where the cutting edge blade is brazed or welded to the tool seat. Axial adjustment is accomplished by heating the tip to the melting temperature of the braze alloy, repositioning the tip axially and radially, allowing the braze alloy to cool and then regrinding the tip to a desired tip configuration. This process is both time-consuming and costly frequently requiring the tools to be sent out for specialized reconditioning. A slot cutting tool which generates a slot of about 0.25 inches or less which is both indexable and axially adjustable would be a considerable advance in the art of slot cutting tools.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable slot cutting tool which is readily indexable requiring a minimum amount of down time.
A further object is to provide a tool is which capable of both fine adjustment down to 0.0001 inches and high precision.